


Merry Go Round

by GirlKnownSomewhere



Category: The Monkees, The Monkees (TV)
Genre: 1960s, Band Fic, Cute, F/M, Ficlet, Flirting, One Shot
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-18
Updated: 2019-05-18
Packaged: 2020-03-07 12:15:08
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,591
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18873016
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/GirlKnownSomewhere/pseuds/GirlKnownSomewhere
Summary: Ann and Peter take a visit to the Playboy Club for a possible scoop (and other shenanigans).





	Merry Go Round

**Author's Note:**

> Loosely inspired by this post from Ann's blog. 
> 
> http://annmoses.com/how-the-playboy-bunnies-do-it-hugh-hefner-and-me/
> 
> I moved the date back a couple of years so the fic could include the Monkees, lol.
> 
> General disclaimer: I don't own anything related to the Monkees or Ann Moses' likeness

One-shot: Merry Go Round

LA, November 1967

Ann was having one of those brainstorming episodes that wouldn’t leave her mind. This was good for work as a writer, but she wasn’t thinking about her usual pieces for Tiger Beat or Monkee Spectacular. Last Monday one of the staff photographers, Dinah, was telling Ann about how her sister tried out to be a Playboy bunny. But said sister ended up getting cold feet and backing out because she didn’t think she could go through with exposing the deep cleavage with the costume regularly. Ann could understand that, but was shocked she considered the job in the first place. Especially since there are so many less racy, glamourous jobs around LA. But then she kept thinking about it. The outfits were kind of cute, in a Halloween costume type way. Were they half model, half waitress? Ann wanted to be the one to study these girls’ lives. Well, technically the second one after Gloria Steinem. And who visits those clubs anyway? She knew it would probably be suspicious if she went alone as a woman, but who could she ask…

Just then a group of people left the soundstage to Ann’s left as she was pensively sitting on a bench outside the TV lot cafeteria. There were a few crew guys, Monkee girl Valerie, Jim Frawley, and—

“Peter!”

The multi-instrumentalist turned TV actor moved toward the bench when he heard Ann call his name. “Hi, Annie.”

“Do you want to go to the Playboy Club with me?” She asked frankly.

He stood frozen at the suggestion. “…Is this a trick question?” 

“I want to do a piece on the girls who get hired to be bunnies. Like, what they do for that position. Are they required to lose weight? Do they have to be natural blondes and redheads? What do they do after hours? That sort of thing,” she explained.

Peter thought about it for a moment. “…Isn’t this what Gloria Steinem did—”

“Yeah, I know. But I wouldn’t literally be undercover like she was, I just want to talk to a couple of the young women.”

He took a seat next to her. “Well, sounds fun! Why do you need me exactly?”

Ann turned her body to completely face him. “I can’t go alone! I don’t know what type of men go there,” she said as if it should be obvious.

Peter shrugged. “Probably some of the execs around town trying to dodge their wives.”

She still insisted. “I can’t ask Genie to go with me, because she’s a woman too, plus she’s more attractive than me.”

He chuckled at the last bit. “Not really.”

Trying not to blush, Ann continued. “Still, this isn’t like the Whisky or the Fillmore, where everyone’s mods or hippies. I think…”

“And you thought of me as your personal bodyguard?” He placed his hand on his chest. “I’m flattered.”

She gave her own sardonic grin. “Well, who else would I ask? Mike?”

At that they both noticed the guitarist across the lot replacing his motorcycle helmet with his sunglasses after turning off his bike.

“I mean, he’d make more sense aesthetically than me, honestly,” Peter claimed.

“You know, for as much as he works that cool guy character, I don’t think he’s much of a ladies’ man,” Ann theorized.

“Really?”

“Well…you know, as someone part of the press, I’ve heard a lot of rumors about you four…” Ann started and noticed Peter’s face perk up in amusement. “Your reputation is getting to be as big as Davy’s…” He looked impressed. “…But I also know most of Davy’s rumors are PR. So don’t get too excited thinking I believe all of yours.” She confessed with a smirk. “Micky’s with Sammy all the time. Surprisingly girls hardly ever come up with Mike’s gossip. It’s just Phyllis and—”

“Hey, guys,” Micky interrupted walking up to the two friends. “Pete, my man. The air in the frodis box is currently a little too clean, if you get my meaning…”

Without verbal response, Peter took a joint out of his pocket and handed it to Micky who put it in his own. “Thanks, pal. So what’s up?” Micky asked looking back to Ann.

“Ann’s taking me to the Playboy Club,” Peter replied with an amused smile. Micky just raised his eyebrows in disbelief.

“It’s for a featured piece. I want to interview some of the bunnies on what their lives are like and what they have to do behind the scenes to…look good, I guess.”

“Uhhh, who exactly are you writing this for? Because your zines…”

It hit Ann that her junior high subscribers probably would not be the most appropriate readers for this kind of exposé. “Oh…Well, I guess I can just write it on spec and then shop it around town…Or maybe self-publish if it’s long enough.”

“Cool…” There was a silent pause. “…Didn’t Gloria Ste—”

“Yes, Gloria Steinem did a similar story a few years ago. She doesn’t own the rights on every Playboy article, you know,” Ann answered abruptly.

“Okay,” Micky laughed. “See you guys later,” he said before leaving again.

Ann turned her attention back to Peter. “Are you available this Friday?”

Peter held a lopsided grin. “Gee, I don’t know…A platonic date on a Friday to the Playboy Club…”

“Ugh, please, Peter. I can’t ask Davy, because he’s not into this kind of thing. Plus his publicist would have a fit. Micky’s goofiness would be too much of a distraction. You know I’d rather not ask Mike. And NBC probably wouldn’t appreciate it leaking that the married Monkee was at the club. So…” She ended vaguely with a hopeful look.

He let out a light laugh. “Alright, I’ll go.”

“Thank you!” She exclaimed exaggeratedly. 

“Forewarning though. I can’t promise I’ll behave like a proper gentleman in a gentleman’s club…”

Ann rolled her eyes. “I don’t care if you flirt with the bunnies, Peter. I just need it to be obvious we showed up together.” 

As she was leaving the lot for the day, it occurred to Ann that she didn’t bother to ask Peter if Leah would be fine with this whole date setup. But then she realized she couldn’t actually remember the last time she’d seen Leah around the TV set or recording studio. So she concluded that if they were still a couple, obviously he would’ve mentioned it.

Four days later Peter drove up to Ann’s apartment at a quarter to 7:00 PM. She stepped into the car wearing a mid-thigh, strappy floral dress, pink flats and a white sweater. Some of the perks of having a best friend who works in fashion is never ending style advice and the best shopping suggestions. Peter wore a casual suit with an orange shirt.

As they walked up to the famous club, Ann was relieved the bouncer seemed to recognize Peter enough to not check and figure out she’s only 20. When they entered the main floor, she immediately cleared her throat at the cigarette scented odor in the room. “Jeez. I’m getting flashbacks to the smoking corner at Disneyland,” she commented with a wave of her hand in front of her face.

“My stash doesn’t seem so bad right now, huh?” Peter joked. Ann snorted and looked around the room. It looked like a typical nightclub, except with bunny logos everywhere and a lot more velvet. They were on the early side for this kind of crowd, so there was only four other people—all men in worksuits. Two of which were sitting at the same table and clearly just took notice of her. Feeling self-conscious, she held Peter’s hand hoping to give off the impression they were on a date. Quickly getting the message, he took it a step further and let go to lay his arm casually over her shoulder. Ann instantly felt more comfortable and for a fleeting second wondered how different the date would be if it were romantic.

They took a seat at a booth near the middle and Peter took off his suit jacket to lazily place it on the end. Ann made a mental note at the empty stage in front of them. “Guess we’re too early for the burlesque show,” Peter plainly commented as he placed his left arm on Ann’s side of the booth.

“Or it’s just a band,” she suggested.

Peter laughed. “This isn’t the sort of club that has ‘just’ a band, Ann.” 

She ignored his suggestion and continued looking around the room. There was a redheaded hostess bunny at the front corner, a blonde bunny by the bar, a brunette bunny…who was walking right up to them.

“Hey, there. Can I get you both a drink?”

“Um…” Ann got distracted by the waitress’ costume of a white satin bodice with matching bunny tail and ears. She felt a nudge on her shoulder and was brought back to reality by Peter. “Oh, uh. I’ll try a martini…” She responded with the first drink that popped in her head. She heard Peter order a beer before she went back to studying how the girls looked and worked the room. When the dark-haired bunny returned with the drinks, Ann bluntly asked: “Are you allowed to converse with the customers?” 

She shrugged. “Yeah, but only the men usually want to talk to us. The ladies don’t care.”

“I do.”

The waitress raised an eyebrow at that.

Ann shook her head when she realized she spoke without thinking. “Oh, um. What I mean is, I’d like to talk to you…and maybe another employee…for an…essay I’m writing.” _‘That sounds vague enough,’_ Ann thought, not wanting her real intention to sound suspicious or exploitive. 

The bunny placed the martini on the table. “Oh, I get it. Are you one of those feminist majors at UCLA?”

“…Yes.”

The waitress then placed her empty tray next to her hip and leaned on the booth. “Yeah, I’m not really supposed to talk to reporters, especially women writers, about my job after what happened in ’63. But you seem nice and your boyfriend’s cute, so I might answer a couple of questions later.”

“Really? Wow, great!” Ann was shocked at how easy that was. 

“I have to get back to work. By the way, my name’s Kitty if you find me later,” the bunny informed while walking away. 

“Okay, thanks!” Ann called back, trying not to giggle at how cliché her name sounded. As she turned her head back to the table, she realized Peter wasn’t sitting next to her anymore. Almost instantly a man who looked at least ten years older than her sat in his seat.

“Can I buy your next drink?”

“Oh…you know…I think one’s going to be my limit tonight,” she claimed while looking around the room. _‘Ugh, where did Peter go?’_ She finally found him back to the front of the room chatting with the redhead. 

“Are you new in town?” The stranger still trying to keep her attention.

“No, not really. I’m just going to…step into the powder room,” she stated before grabbing her purse and heading to the restroom. After using one of the stalls, washing her hands and checking her make-up in the mirror, Ann headed back out to find Peter again.

“Hey, college girl!” She recognized the voice as ‘Kitty’ and found her across the hall. She waved for Ann to follow her into the door on the other end, which the writer discovered was an elaborate dressing room. 

“Whoa…” 

Kitty turned around, acknowledging she heard Ann. “I mean, this is a super groovy place…” Ann tried to sound more schoolgirl-ish. 

“Your date looks really familiar. Is he in a band?” Kitty asked while reapplying lipstick.

“Yeah…a local group…” She left ambiguously.

“Ugh, I wish we had more good looking men under 40 in the club,” she slightly whined before claiming: “Look, I can’t get into any specific details or give you my real, full name. But maybe if you shoot some questions, you might get lucky.”

“Okay…Well, it looks like the girls here are pretty young. I’m guess the age bracket is…21-25?” Ann asked taking a seat in one of the chairs in front of the large wall mirror. At the same time, another bunny with black hair and a matching black bodice walked in to change her shoes.

“Pretty much. Some girls have gotten away with lying about their age. I don’t think anyone under 18’s been employed though,” Kitty informed.

“Interesting…” Ann wanted to take out her little notebook, but noticed the other bunny looked unimpressed with her. “How about dieting? Is that a requirement or do you have to already be slim to apply for the job?” 

Kitty shrugged. “They prefer for you to be skinny already, but if your boobs are nice enough, you can lose the weight after getting hired. Curvy waist and big behind are bonuses too.” 

“Huh…”

Just then the dressing room door opened and a woman who looked around age 45 in a long, silk dress entered. “Kitty, that’s you last warning—who’s this?”

“Oh, I actually didn’t get your name…” Kitty realized.

Ann figured the older woman might be the ‘bunny mother’ Dinah referred to in their original office conversation. “It’s—”

“Honey, we don’t do applications or auditions at night.”

“Oh, I don’t want to actually work here—”

“Then why are you here? Friends aren’t allowed backstage.” She sounded annoyed.

“I’m writing—”

“She’s with the press,” the black-haired bunny finally spoke.

Ann’s eyes instantly widened. “No!—I mean—”

The older woman rapidly grabbed Ann’s arm and pulled her to door. “Nice try, girly, but your little east coast friend already ruined your chances for a big scoop.”

“I’m not writing a tabloid piece. I think your jobs are cool!” Ann tried to claim.

“Sure you do,” was what the matriarch said before pushing her out of the room.

“Hey, wait!” Ann shouted at the door slammed in front of her. Frustrated, she wandered back to the main room to see more people had arrived and the blonde bunny had joined Peter’s conversation. Ann headed over to the three after grabbing his jacket from their booth. “We’re leaving,” was all she said as she grabbed Peter’s wrist and kept walking. She hardly noticed in her abrupt movement that she caused him to drop a small card that looked like it had a phone number written down.

Now outside, Peter and Ann shared a joint while leaning against his car behind the club building. The musician barely trying to hold in a laugh as he looked at the journalist.

“Whatever, it seemed like a good idea at the time,” she finally said.

“Of course…Gloria,” he jested before letting out the laugh even though Ann wasn’t humored. She quickly grabbed the joint and tossed it into a nearby puddle.

“Hey! That’s not cheap, you know.”

“Oh please. I know the really good stuff doesn’t leave your house,” Ann responded before opening the passenger door. Peter smirked and moved over to the driver’s side. “I’d say I’m taking this pretty well considering I just lost a potential scoop.” 

“You? What about me? I’d say I’m taking you killing my weed and chances at scoring tonight exceeding well,” he exclaimed still smiling, which caused Ann to express her own smile. 

“Please take me home. I’ll make it up to you later.” He raised an eyebrow intrigued while turning on the car engine.


End file.
